San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-21
Val erie:
on,
HALF A TR j 7 H .
BY 1.-THE DUCHESS. >

lie stretched ont his hands, the words were
almost cry Of anguish, don't tell me
that You are so false-so miserably un.
worthy
The blood rushed 10 Valerie's cheek and
brow. Passionate denial was on her lips.
Then, with a quick-drawn breath, she
turned away, locking her hands over her
breast. She dared not plead the truth; she
could not speak fnlsehood.
Louis drew back and folded his arms.
There was dead pause.
The girls face had grown white again:
she scarcely seemed TO breathe; her eyes
were bent down, her head dropping: she
stood before her lover like n guilty crea-
ture; but oh, how beautiful-how beautiful
she was! and that beauty she was going to
sell for gold! That thought nerved Louis
to scOrn.
Silent stillr' he broke forth at last, lay
ing sudden grip on the girls slender
wrist-she did not shrink or tremble now.
you own it, then? own that you are
ready TO barter your youth and beauty for
money! You will give yourself, body and
soul, to man old enough to be your faith.
er, not because he is noble and good, and
you love him, but because he is rich! Never
mind that you and were boy and girl to-
gether-that your word was pledged to me
that have loved you faithfully; all that
is nothing-nOthing now! am poor, and
Aston Lawford is rich. might have
known It long ago; but ] was an idiot, and
l hoped against hope Very soon the love
Of the world began to eat your heart out;
your letters were cold and infrequent--
your manner when we met was changed
Oh, have been fool! and you, no doubt,
laughed at my folly
Louis! Louisr'
Ayr he exclaimed. savagely. you can
cry out when you are stabbed; but you
may stab me to the heart, and must suf-
fer in silence That is woman's privi-
lege. A blight on the wretched code you
have so quickly learned, and on all who
follow i'll | have done with you'll / hope
may never see your false face again.
He almost flung her from him as he
spoke, and turned to the door. Valerie
staggered, and caught at chair near her.
Louis" she said, choking back the sob
in her throat, must we part like this'"
But he did not heed-perhaps did not
hear-the words; blind with passion and
pain, he could only see that he was DELHI
erately abandoned for the sake of wealth
and position; could only read conscious
guilt in Valerie's silence, in her dropping
eyes and changing color; longer expert
ence OF life might have helped him here;
but Louis was not yet fOur-and-twenty,
and knew little or nothing of human ma
ture. Valerie had loved him-loved him
how-but loved the world more. He was
too young to be pitiful; his love had not
the strength and depth for the noble sor-
row that could cry THE pity on't!' Va
lerie was miserably mean and despicably,
utterly without excuse; she had grown
cold and heartless; she cared nothing for
suffering she inflicted: so, with only anger
and resentment in his heart, Louis rushed
out Of the room, and a minute later was
striding away from the house, hardly
knowing where he went. and feeling as If
all the world was false and hollow, and his
life could never again hold anything worth
living for.
And suddenly-there was roar in his
ears-shOuting-a mist before his eyes-a
strong hand seized him, and plucked him
from under the nose Of rearing carriage
horse: a voice that somehow seemed famil-
lar, exclaimed:
Louis Charters, COnfound il. man! do
you want to commit suicide?'
And the young man lifted his dazed eyes
to the handsome face of Max Beauregard.